No tomorrow
by The Dancing Dead
Summary: The world was ending, the dead were rising, she didn't know how many people were left. When Scarlett meets a man fighting for survival, she never thought he would lead her to survivors, to him, someone from the past she thought she had left behind.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except original characters

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><p>It was a regular day in Atlanta; the heat from the Georgian sun beginning to warm the ground as the day began, noise rose as the people began to wake, ready to start the day. It was a regular day, or at least it was supposed to be. Day zero, the day the world turned to shit. It started with a couple of people getting a fever but the fever turned into an epidemic which then turned into a pandemic. The world wasn't prepared for what was to come.<p>

Scarlett woke at the sound of her alarm clock, burying her head in her pillow, wishing she could stay in bed for just five minutes longer. She succeeded for another minute before the familiar body woke her, jumping on her bed.

"Come on mom, it's time for me to go to school! And you have work!" Her son started to nudge her so she opened her eyes gave her son a big kiss on the forehead.

"Alright, alright, I'm up." She spoke as she got up from the bed, going to the bathroom to get changed.

After she had dropped her son off to school she headed for the University going over the first lecture in her head: The Magnetic properties of matter, the Langevin theory of paramagnetism and electron paramagnetism in metals. Scarlett had been noticing any of her students calling in sick, as had her colleagues; they had been coming down with the mysterious virus that had been spreading.

"Dude, I was on my way home last night after the party when some homeless guy bit me. I was like 'what the fuck?' and just pushed him away. It was weird man." She heard from the corridor as she walked by. The corridors, usually full with students rushing to classes, were now virtually empty.

She got to her office and noticed the door was open, the only other person who had a key was the janitor but he wasn't usually around at that time. She carefully entered the room, looking out for anything out of place but there was nothing so she thought nothing of it. Until she heard a noise from her cupboard. Scarlett froze immediately, eyes darting to the partially opened door. There was someone inside.

"Steve is that you? Jones?" She slowly walked to the door, her inner voice screaming at her not to look inside. "Jones? What are you doing in there?" She felt her heart racing and she began to feel shivers down her spine as she heard groaning. "Jones? Are you okay in there?" She opened the door to reveal a figure in a janitor's uniform, hunched over. It was Steve but something wasn't right with him. Amongst the groans, Scarlett thought she heard crunching and chewing, like he was eating something but she couldn't understand what he would be doing in her office cupboard.

"Jones?" She whispered, her fear building as she slowly approached the man. He stopped what he was doing and started to turn around. When he faced her his eyes were different, almost empty, lifeless. She noticed blood smeared around his mouth and she froze as she saw what was in his hand. A partially eaten mouse. "Jones." She breathed out as the thing before her that was once a man known as Jones stared at her hungrily.

It groaned as it lunged for her and she tried to contain the small yelp that escaped her; falling backwards, she kicked it as it clawed at her, eyes intent on its victim. Scarlett quickly picked herself up and ran out the door closing it behind her. She heard Jones groaning and scratching at the door, trying to get out and get to her. "Shit." She whispered as her mind tried to process what had happened. _What had happened to Jones?_ She asked herself but her thoughts were interrupted as she heard screams erupting from the halls.

Trying to escape the thing in the storage room, she made a dash for her office door, closing it behind her before Jones had a chance to catch up to her. She saw people, men, women, staff, students running about the place, running from what she guessed were more things like Jones. _The disease? Was this the disease?_ She didn't have a chance to answer her question as she felt an arm dragging her.

"Scarlett? What the bloody hell are you doing just standing there?" John, a fellow Physics teacher, asked as he pulled her through the corridors.

"Jones is gone, he changed into something. I don't know." She replied.

"Shit. There's a load of them, they just came from nowhere. We've got to get out of here." They ran towards the car park as the things chased after them. They almost didn't make it as the halls began to fill with bodies but they narrowly escaped, hiding behind a car.

"What the fuck are those things?" Scarlett asked as they tried to regain their breaths, she spoke quietly so as not to draw attention. Those things seemed to pick up on people with ease.

"I have as much of an idea as you. They just started coming at us. First it was one or two but soon there were too many to count. They kept biting people like they were…" He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

"Food." She finished it and he nodded. Just then a cold feeling ran through her body and her blood began to pump in her ears. "I've got to get Jack! He's at school." She panicked, her son was in danger and she knew she couldn't rest until he was safe in her arms.

"Be careful. I don't know how many of those things are out there. I'm gonna try to make it home. Good luck." They shared a look, wishing each other luck before heading their separate ways.


	2. Welcome to the new world

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except original characters.

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><p>She had lost count of the days since it started, too much had happened, too long had it been since the dead stayed dead. The heat was beginning to wear her down and she was not far from collapsing, exhaustion creeping its way through her body. She needed somewhere to rest and gather supplies. All she had left was a couple of packets of crisps she had found and as for ammunition, she was running low on that too.<p>

As she rounded the corner she noticed a hospital in the distance and she was filled with renewed strength, enough to keep her going. The pile of dead bodies didn't shock her, not now after all she had seen. She held her crossbow up, ready for whatever may cross her path, knowing what could be round the corner. Flies buzzed around the rotting bodies that littered the floor, the acrid smell filled her nose as she pushed forward.

As she approached the main entrance a few of the walking dead noticed her approach, turning their decomposed heads towards her, rotten hands reaching out. She fired her arrows at the walkers and the arrows flew through the sky and hit their target between their eyes. _Hunger, flooding, wars. All the things we thought would end the world, _she laughed to herself, _who knew it would be a bloody zombie apocalypse that took us down? Should have paid more attention to those movies._

As she entered the hospital she noticed the state it was in; dead bodies of hospital staff filled the entrance as well as dead military officers. The staff had bullets wounds to the head and torso and had been partially devoured. One of the military officers started to move, obviously one of the undead, so she carefully moved towards him and put a knife through his head before he could eat her.

She made her way to the storage room but the door was locked. There was also moans escaping a locked door nearby with the words 'Don't open, dead inside.' She decided to cut her losses and leave before she heard a noise from the other corridor, catching her attention.

As Scarlett searched the hospital, Rick woke from his coma confused and not realising the situation that had arisen since he was shot. He called out for help but there was nobody around. The hospital was deserted.

Scarlett followed the noise she heard as it led her back to the cafeteria door that held the dead. She saw a man standing before it. He had short, brown curly hair, was wearing a hospital gown and seemed to be caught in a trance, staring at the door. She wondered what fool would stick around, unless he had been asleep all this time. They both heard the noise through the doors and something started to push against it, desperate to get out. Hands reached out from the locked room, trying to get to Rick. This caused waves of panic to rush through him as he stumbled back, the dead trying to get out. He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to see a woman with long, jet black hair that was pulled into a pony tail pointing a crossbow in his face. She was fairly tall, had a stern stance and was obviously very skilled with weaponry. Her face was pulled into an unyielding stare as her blue eyes held his frightened ones. After a moment she relaxed her crossbow although she still held his view.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" She spoke, eyes scanning the area making sure there was nothing around to hear them.

"I…uh…I" He couldn't find the words.

"You're gonna get yourself killed, come on we need to get out now." She didn't wait for him to respond, the footsteps that followed behind her told her his movements. After trying a few doors on their way, they found a stairway leading to an exit.

The sun shone brightly in their eyes as they adjusted from the dark. Outside, dead bodies were scattered everywhere, victims from the early outbreak. The smell of the dead filled Rick's nose and he doubled over, struggling to breathe amongst the wrenching odours. He couldn't believe all those people were dead, tens and tens of dead bodies filled his view. Scarlett pushed forward, she had seen this so many times before, she had forced herself to adjust. It was the only way to survive the new world. She held her weapons in her hands as she led Rick away from the hospital.

When they reached the top of the hill they saw the remains of one of the military camps that had been set up. _Fat lot of good they were._ Scarlett silently thought to herself. The military had tried to take control of the situation but, just like the rest of the world, they were over run and defeated. It was hard to tell if there was anyone left; Rick was the first person she'd seen in days.

"Stay here." She spoke to Rick and, without waiting for his reply she left to investigate the area. She was down to one gun with five shells, her crossbow with seven bolts and a knife. She needed weapons and so did this guy she had found. To her disappointment there was nothing left; whether it had all been used in their last attempts to fight the dead or if others had already scavenged it, it didn't really matter, all that mattered was that everything was gone.

"I have to find my family." Rick spoke as she returned to him.

"No we need to keep moving, if they aren't dead they definitely won't be home." Scarlett knew it was a big risk returning to Rick's home but she could also see the desperation behind his brown eyes.

"I have to find them. They're all I have, what's the point of goin' on if they're gone?" He held her gaze and she knew they had to try. _At least he still has hope that his family is still alive, _the thought came as tears threatened to fall as her mind raced over all she had lost.

"Fine, but we have to be quick. It's not safe now and it will be a worse when night falls." Rick nodded, silently thanking her.


	3. Safety in numbers

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for original characters

Haven't written anything for a while, been busy writing for nanowrimo all November. Now that's over I've returned to my stories, trying to make it interesting.

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><p>They took the long and tiring journey to the streets that had once been Rick's home, the memories returning to him in a wave. He struggled to keep control of his emotions; the only thing stopping him from breaking down there and then was his focus to find his family. Scarlett walked beside him, not sure what to even say to him. She preferred silence anyway, it was almost comforting.<p>

The familiar white house came into focus, drawing Rick's attention to it and that alone. His heart took over, pulling him towards it as his legs ran to keep up with his heart. Scarlett didn't run after him, knowing she would catch up with him soon enough. She could hear his screams, calling desperately for his family. She tightened her grip on her crossbow, keeping her gun close too; Rick's screams would have also been heard by Walkers if there were any nearby. It was best to be safe regardless.

When she reached the house she found him on the floor, kneeling over photographs of what she guessed was his family. She felt her heart drop slightly as she saw his pain, memories from a time now gone filling her head. Scarlett shook her head, clearing her mind as she approached the broken man. They needed to move on before any dead found them.

"We need to move now, I know it's hard but you need to get up if you want to live." He didn't move, his legs had lost their energy, as had his soul. She tried to pull him up but his body was dead weight; she was strong but not that strong. Scarlett grew ever more frustrated with him; did he have a death wish? Damn it, she should just leave him there and go. She knew she should but she couldn't do that. "Come on, get your shit together, we've got to move." Her voice woke something in him, enough to get him moving. Almost in a catatonic state of a trance, he stood up and walked out the door, unsure of what he could even do. For all he knew they were dead.

Once on the streets Scarlett noticed some of the dead approaching, obviously having heard Rick's cries. She sighed, moving to take them out before they were overrun. When she turned around a young boy stood over Rick, spade in his hand.

Scarlett's immediate response was to aim the crossbow towards the boy, stopping him from ending Rick's life. She barely knew the guy but she would protect him nonetheless. The boy cried out, shouting to his father who was approaching from the other side of the street. He pleaded with her to lower the weapon, aiming a gun at her. They were in a standoff, eyes fixed on each other.

"Tell the boy to drop it." She shouted back in response.

"Please. Duane drop the spade." His son complied causing Scarlett to lower her weapon. Morgan let out a breath, glad his son was out of danger.

"So what are you doing down here in Georgia? Wherever you're from, it isn't from down here." Morgan spoke.

"Chicago but I lived here, a long time ago." Her eyes glazed over for a moment as the past resurfaced in her mind. "I came back, been working up at Georgia Tech, Physics lecturer." Morgan nodded, not prying any further.

Morgan and Scarlett pulled Rick into the house they were staying at, tending to his wound. He asked her about the wound Rick had sustained, whether he was bitten or scratched but all she knew was that he was in hospital for whatever had caused it. Rick and Scarlett had barely spoken since they met; she was as much in the dark as Morgan was. When Rick woke, he explained everything, the shooting, the coma; when they realised he was safe they all let out a breath, relaxing for a moment.

Rick and Scarlett stayed in the house with Morgan and Duane that night before heading to the Sherriff's office the next day for more weapons. The idea had come to Rick, knowing it was their best chance. They also had a separate propane system, which meant one thing. Hot water.

They each stepped into the showers, the guys going first, relishing in the hot water than splashed all over their bodies. They felt clean for the first time in weeks, the smell of sweat and dirt washing away with the water.

She turned on the water and felt the hot spray on her skin; it had been a long time since she had felt this good. She had found some shampoo and gave her hair a wash, the sweet smell filling her nose reminding her of a time now gone. There was no electricity so she would have to let her hair dry naturally but she didn't care, she loved the feeling of cleanliness. Who wouldn't when you've been through shit?

They came out of the showers, wrapped in towels as they headed for the changing rooms. There was a question on their minds, what were their plans? Where would they go next? Scarlett knew the city was under huge threat but they had bombed it after she left so it may have improved. The chances were unlikely but the others were pretty convinced already.

"Atlanta sounds like a good deal. Safer anyway. People…" Rick spoke, drawing Scarlett's attention back to the room.

"That's where we were heading. Things got crazy. Man, you won't believe. The panic… Streets weren't fit to be on, and then we'll… My wife… couldn't travel. No, not with her hurt, so we had to find a place to lay low. And then, after she died… We just stayed hunkered down. I guess we just froze in place." Morgan remembered as he spoke.

"What about you, Scarlett, where were you heading?" Rick asked her and her heart jumped for a second, trying to find the words to explain something she had buried.

"Not sure, came from the city but ran out of fuel so stayed under the radar, took shelter. Then…" She stopped then, unable to continue. She couldn't say, wouldn't say it. "Then I moved on, found my way to the hospital and found Rick. Didn't really think about where I was heading next. Just heading away." They nodded. Rick knew there was something she didn't say but he didn't push her, knowing he wouldn't get anything out of her anyway. She was a fairly private person, more so now the world was going to hell.

She walked off to get changed; looking in the mirror at her body she saw the scars from long ago, scars that reminded her of her life long before the walkers came. She looked at her body where the skin covered her ribs on the left and right side at the tattoo. She had a few tattoos but this one was the most important. On the right side was the scripted name Jack, her son, and on the left she saw the name in script that she hadn't spoken in a long time. She closed her eyes as she tried to remember his face, it had been ten years since she had seen it, since she had left his bed that night and left for Chicago. Ten years since she had everything she wanted even when she had nothing.

Lacing up her combat boots, she headed off to find the others, unable to dwell on the past for any longer without breaking down the walls she had built so high. When she found the others they were heading for the gunroom, looking to renew their dwindling supply. Rick had put his uniform on, the only change of clothes other than the hospital gown he had. Scarlett had put on a clean white T-shirt and her sleeveless leather jacket. With her crossbow in hand, she felt like she was back in the woods of Georgia. Back in her old life.

Some of the weapons were missing but there were plenty left, more than enough to be shared out between them all as they planned to go their separate ways. Rick and Scarlett were going to head for Atlanta or whatever was left of it. Rick had hopes for what he would find but Scarlett was a lot more sceptical. Morgan and Duane would catch up to them when they were ready to leave, Rick tried to convince them to come but they couldn't leave, not yet.

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><p><strong>This is just a note; there seems to be some confusion about the point of view of the story. Even though the story follows the character Scarlett, it is written in third person which means the point of view will change accordingly. Like I said, it does follow Scarlett but it also follows the characters around at the same time. Thus there will be thoughts and feelings experienced by other characters to give more depth to the story. I hope this clears things up a little<strong>


	4. Trapped

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except original characters.

Hope this chapter is okay, was partially written at Uni so hope its not too rushed. Thanks for the reviews.

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><p>The journey to Atlanta was mostly silence, neither Rick nor Scarlett knew what to say, the silence was the only thing that seemed to come. The roads were deserted as they coasted down the highway. It was quiet, almost too quiet. Scarlett's mind was elsewhere as she sat in silence, watching the trees pass out the window while Rick drove. The air was heavy with the humid heat of a Georgian summer and the sun shone brightly in the sky. The trauma of recent events weighed heavily on her mind as she struggled to think about something else.<p>

Scarlett wasn't even sure what she was hoping for anymore, everything she had was gone, the disease had taken everything but her life. She began to question what she was even living for. What was there left to survive for?

Rick tried the radio time and time again, hoping desperately that someone out there could hear him. If there was anyone else left in the world. So far he had only come across a few people still alive. The world couldn't be completely gone surely? They both held on to hope, the only thing keeping them going.

The car ran out of fuel before they reached Atlanta, so far they hadn't found any more, the supplies were dry, used up by people in a desperate attempt to flee. They came to a house, seemingly deserted. Their suspicions were confirmed as the smell of dead flesh hit their noses. The owners of the house had taken their own lives to save themselves the fate of turning into one of those creatures that now roamed the Earth, seeking out flesh for them to consume.

The sight of the people turned Rick's stomach upside down. He had seen his fair share of death but the sight really seemed to be getting to him. While Rick tried to regain himself Scarlett noticed a horse grazing in the field. It seemed unaware of the horrors of the world, just stood contented in the blazing sun as if nothing had happened. The horse was blissfully oblivious, separated from the horrible reality.

"Easy now, easy. I'm not gonna hurt you. Nothing like that. More like a proposal. Atlanta's just down the road ways. It's safe there. Food, shelter, people, other horses too, I bet. How's that sound?" She slowly approached it. The horse relaxed a little and she ran her hands through its mane. The feel of the soft hair brought a memory to the surface.

"_Hey Rambo, you getting on here or what?" She called to him as he stood by the black horse she sat upon, eyes wary as he watched the creature. _

"_I don't know, there ain't enough room on there." He didn't want to admit it, but he was a little scared. _

"_Don't tell me old country boy's scared of a horse?" She teased a little, earning a scowl from him._

"_No! How 'bout you shut up." He shot back, not in a nasty way but a little playful._

"_Well come on then, I'm not just sitting here pretty. Get on here and let's go for a ride." She teased again, loving every second of it._

_Reluctantly and very awkwardly he got on the horse. "Whatever, if I fall of this thing I'm blamin' you." He replied causing her to laugh quite loudly._

"_You won't fall off, just hold on tight." He wrapped his arms around her waist as she motioned for the horse to move._

Rick's sudden presence brought Scarlett back from that memory; even though he noticed the sad look in her eyes he didn't ask her about it which she was thankful for. It was a past long gone, one she knew she could never get back even if she found him again. Which was even more unlikely given the circumstances.

Once Rick had climbed onto the horse they took off in the direction of the city. Neither of them was sure what they would find there but Rick just hoped his family had made it safely there. If the city was safe enough. Scarlett knew the city was once overrun but she hoped it would be clear now, the last thing they needed would be to run into a herd of them. One of two they could deal with but a whole group would be too much.

The sun still shone brightly, even as the hours passed it was blinding, filling the sky with the blazing fire inside. She could feel it burning her skin, the heat building as the afternoon dragged on. The overwhelming heat was definitely something she didn't miss when she had moved to Chicago.

The roads leading out of the city were stacked and piled with cars, the residents had made one last attempt to flee for their lives only to fail at the end. She didn't need to look in the cars to know what was there, some had been abandoned but others were filled with what remained of their owners. There was so much death around, it was everywhere now.

When they reached the city it appeared to be relatively empty; a few walkers roamed the streets but not enough to worry about, not while they had the ability to make a quick run for it. Debris and other bits littered the streets, covering the ground in what remained of the civilisation that once lived there. Scarlett found herself thinking back to the house she had there, the University she used to go to every day. She wondered if they were even still standing.

So far the two had been relatively safe, no imminent threats had come their way. Their fatal mistake was following the helicopter that flew over the city; they followed it right into a herd of several hundred walkers. The came at them, hands reaching out, desperate to taste their flesh. Their rotten mouths strained, almost as if they were calling out to them. They tried to escape but they were surrounded, walkers reaching out with bone and flesh, claiming their victims from every direction. Scarlett managed to pull Rick away as the dead began to feed on the beautiful creature that had once been far away in a peaceful field. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty, it wouldn't be dead if she had just found another way to get to the city.

She was pulled from her despair as the walking dead began to follow them, unable to be satisfied until they were all dead. They were converging on them fast, there was no way to escape, they were trapped. They would become the meal for those who were no longer living.

Scarlett couldn't accept it, they couldn't die, not here. There was still fight left in her, she had to save Rick, he needed to find his family again. She saw an abandoned tank, there was room underneath it for them to hide. It wasn't much but it was a start, it may bide them enough time to think of a plan.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him in the direction she had set her sights on. Once they were underneath it became painfully clear it had been a mistake in her judgment. There was barely room to move and the walkers had followed them, now blocking them in a very confined space. They continued to crawl towards them, hunger in their eyes as they reached to grasp at their victims.

Thankfully Rick came up with a solution, seeing the hatch leading inside the tank. It was the same each time though, every time they found a solution it led to them being trapped again only this time they were safe from walkers. Rick opened the top of the tank to survey the area; the walkers had piled in, outnumbering them by too many to even think about counting. When he returned inside he shook his head and Scarlett realised that there was no way out. No way out with them surviving in any case.

Panic built in her as realisation hit her like a ton of bricks, a raincloud of despair threatened to fall around her. She tried to stay composed, the last thing they needed was for them to both freak out. Panic doesn't solve problems.

"Shit." She muttered under her breath as her brain processed the situation. She knew the city wasn't a good choice yet she followed the deputy anyway. "Good choice Sherriff's deputy, coming to the city." She muttered aloud in anger. Even though she knew his reasons she couldn't help the anger that had built up .

"I'm sorry, I had to try." To be fair she was more angry at herself, angry for allowing herself to have some sort of hope, for following him even when her instincts told her to stay away. She could be safe, miles from there but no. _Where is safe though? _ She thought to herself. She knew it was pointless; there weren't any safe places now, not really. There was nowhere you didn't have to stay alert just in case.

Rick checked his gun to see how many shells were left. Not enough to take out all the walkers, _but enough to end it all_. He wasn't one to go down the suicide path; he never would have considered it no matter how bad things were in the old world. But this world was different; death was a gift in a sense, freedom, no more running and hiding. He looked to Scarlett and they both shared a look of realisation, knowing there was only one way out now. Before they could reach a decision the radio in the tank spoke out with a man's voice. Someone else was there.

"Hey you, dumbasses in the tank. You guys cosy in there?" He spoke. Scarlett and Rick both looked up amazed, shocked and confused.


	5. Not alone

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, only original characters.

Have finally come back with another chapter, have had a lot going on and have had writers block. Its not a long chapter I know and I hope its good enough. Thanks to everyone who's reading this.

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><p>There was no way the voice was real, it couldn't be, there were only those that were dead. That's what was running through Scarlett's mind before the voice her thoughts.<p>

"Hey, are you alive in there?" Scarlett was too taken aback to answer so Rick took the radio. There was someone else alive, but how was it possible? A feeling of relief washed over her as realisation hit. They weren't alone anymore. Scarlett knew that there was little room for hope in this new world but she allowed herself a small moment of weakness.

"Got any advice?" Rick's voice cut through and she shook her heard, clearing her thoughts and bringing the current situation back in focus. Focus, that was key.

"Make a run for it." The voice replied causing a small noise of disbelief to escape her lips. _Like we couldn't have thought of that_.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" She took the radio from Rick.

"My way's not as dumb as it sounds. You've got eyes on the outside here." While that was a comfort it was a small one at best; even if they had a clear way out there were so many out there, it would only take a few to notice before they abandoned the horse and went for live prey.

While Rick and the man worked out a plan for escape, Scarlett gathered what little ammunition she could find. They would have to use it sparingly, there wasn't anywhere near enough to take down the horde that gathered just outside.

Rick spared a quick glance at Scarlett as he moved to the hatch; they shared a look as she nodded to Rick, gripping her crossbow so that it was at her dispose if it were needed. Rick nodded back as he lifted the lid, the light blinding slightly before his eyes adjusted, taking in the sight of the decomposing bodies. A few noticed their movements but the majority were otherwise occupied so the two manoeuvred around the stragglers, following the route the man told Rick.

As they reached the alley they came face to face with the man they guessed had been helping them, his eyes wide as he saw Rick's gun pointed in his face. Scarlett could see the fear in his eyes, he hadn't adjusted to the new world, he still had innocence not yet tainted by death. _Lucky him._

"Whoa, not dead!" He held his hands up before Rick lowered his gun. The man waved them to follow as he ran from the dead which had begun to notice their presence. Scarlett didn't trust the man, despite the fact he saved their lives, the past had taught her to never let her guard down. Nevertheless she only had two options, follow or die. The man stopped when they were safe, high enough above the dead for comfort. "Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood. You the new sheriff come riding in to clean up the town? And whats with Wonder Woman here?" Scarlett's eyes narrowed at the man, the glare taking him aback a little. "Geez, sorry."

The dead had massed together at the foot of the ladder, hands clawing as they reached for the food which lay above them. Scarlett watched them carefully as she tried to control her breathing from the climb, the voices becoming muffled as her concentration was drawn away.

_The screams began to get louder as she ruffled through the drawers, trying to find the small pistol she had hidden away along with a few clothes they would need on the roads. She tried to ignore the cries, trying to focus on the task at hand._

"_Scarlett!" A familiar voice cried out as the door opened._

"_Up here!" She shouted back before she could hear the heavy footsteps on the stairs._

"_We've gotta get out of here, there's loads of them coming, I have to make sure you're both safe." She looked up to see Caleb stood in the doorway, fear in his eyes. That was something she rarely saw from him which meant things were really going to shit._

"_Im coming, I just have to find something. You get Jack and start up the car, I'll be right out." She ran over to the bed, crouching down and pulling out an old box, tattered from the years she'd kept it. Her heart raced as she slowly lifted the lid, revealing the memories from years ago, memories that still crippled her. Pushing aside the old photos her hand rested on something familiar, something she hadn't felt between her fingers for so long she wondered if she would remember how to use it. A smile came to her face for a brief moment as she lifted the crossbow out of the box._

_The screams of her son brought her back to the awful reality that was unfolding before her. Grabbing the bag and slinging the crossbow over her shoulder she ran down the stair as fast as she could manage, bursting out the door to see Caleb struggling to hold back the creatures._

"_Get in, I can't hold them much longer. You have to get out of here." Without thinking she got into the car and started the engine, one hand holding the trembling boy that sat beside her._

"_Come on, get in now!" She shouted to Caleb but he shook his head as he fired at the oncoming beings._

"_You have to go now! Go!" He shouted back as tears began to form. As much as she wanted to save him, the undead were beginning to outnumber them and she had to protect Jack at any cost. Wiping her face she began to drive away, seeing the second man she had ever loved die in the rear mirror._

Scarlett felt her eyes sting slightly as the memory filled her mind before she felt a hand on her shoulder, snapping her back as she turned and lifted the crossbow. Instead of a walker she saw the frightened face of the man who had saved her only moments ago.

"Whoa, sorry, just wanted to know your name." He took a deep gulp as she relaxed her arm.

"Scarlett." She spoke coolly as her defences rose again.

"Glenn." He held out his hand and she reluctantly shook it. "Oh no." Glenn spoke as he noticed the dead beginning to climb the ladder while Scarlett internally cursed herself for being too distracted to notice. "Bright side: It'll be the fall that kills us. I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy." _We'll see how long that optimism lasts_, Scarlett thought to herself as they began to climb further up the building.


	6. A face from the past

Disclaimer: I own nothing but original characters

Has been a while since updating as not sure I am happy with the story. Have written another chapter though and hope it will start to go in the direction I want it too. Thanks to everyone who has been reading this and hope its okay. Any opinions on it would be very great to hear. Thanks :)

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><p>They had followed Glenn back to the store where his people were hiding out only to be met by an angry blonde with a gun raised at them. Naturally Scarlett took the defensive stance against this woman while Rick and the others tried to cool the situation down. Her blue eyes narrowed at her, the tension building between the two women, both with weapons ready for use.<p>

"Put that thing down Andrea." One of the men in her group spoke, his face showed Hispanic roots.

"Not till she does! How can you be so bloody calm Morales?" Scarlett's eyes never left the woman, her calm demeanour in opposition to the other's obvious distress.

Once they had talked the woman, Andrea, to lower her gun Scarlett followed with her crossbow. She stood, eyeing Andrea up to try to get a sense of her before doing the same to the others. She didn't want to be in a situation with people she didn't understand; she got a good sense from most of them but this Andrea was someone she would keep an eye on. She could almost understand where she was coming from but to be so quick with a gun left questions, most likely she was trying to show she was tougher than she was.

While Scarlett tried to judge the new people, Rick continued to talk with the group. Loud bangs sounded out from the roof above them, gunshots from the sound of it. _Great, what a way to alert them to our presence_, Scarlett kept her thoughts to herself. From the position, it was clear that every walker in the surrounding area would hear.

"Oh no, was that Dixon." Someone spoke, drawing her back from her thoughts, causing her heart to skip a beat at the familiar name. Dixon, no it couldn't be, she must have misheard.

"Dixon." She breathed quietly, having to repeat the name aloud to fully comprehend what she had heard, hoping no one had heard her. She found herself losing her resolve as the memories forced themselves to the front of her mind, memories she thought were buried. There had to be other people with the surname Dixon but she couldn't help the feeling building in her, it had been so long since she had last looked upon his face. What would she say to him? Would he remember her? Would he want to?

She followed the others as they went to deal with this Dixon, almost not wanting to reach him for fear of how he would respond. Or disappointment that it wasn't him. The light hit her eyes as the door opened, the warm breeze spreading its fingers through her hair and it took a second for her to adjust. She felt her heart fall as she saw the man with the name 'Dixon'; it was Merle, standing before them with gun in hand.

"Evigan? Well if it isn't Miss fancy College Education. We're good enough for ya now the world's gone to shit eh?" He laughed as she came into his view, remembering the times from long ago. He hadn't changed, the years gone by and the zombie apocalypse had done nothing to change him. She had hardened again, her face a solid rock showing no signs of what was held behind her eyes.

"Suppose you fit right into this world then. At least I had a life before this all went down." She shot back at him; his expression flashed with a little anger at that but he kept his taunting look, unwilling to admit the words hit him. When she really thought about it he wasn't quite the same as Scarlett remembered him as; he was more on edge, more spiteful with his taunts.

"Tell me one thing, did ya miss me?" He came back with after a few seconds, laughing at his own comment as if to laugh the whole thing off. He gave Scarlett another look before turning back to the walkers and firing off a few more rounds. He wasn't even aiming at them most of the time, just firing at the city.

"You're bringing even more of them down on our ass! Man, just chill." T-Dog spoke up, saying the words they were all feeling. Merle responded by turning back, jumping down from the ledge with a glare in his mocking eyes.

"Hey! Bad enough I've got this taco-bender on my ass all day. Now I'm gonna take orders from you? I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day." Merle spoke, coming closer to T-Dog. She could feel the tension rising in the group though no one else seemed to dare challenge him. _You've got them right where you want them don't you Merle._

The fight between the two males began to heat up and before long the violence began. All it took was a certain comment from Merle, his racist side showing through.

"Mother fucker." T-Dog finally snapped as he swung for Merle, Merle easily dodging his attempts. He took the gun in his hand and swung it at T-Dog, the fight breaking out between them. The rest of the group just stood from afar, watching the damage unfold only shouting for it to stop. Just as always Merle ignored them, focussed on beating the poor guy senseless before finally pulling out a gun.

"Yeah! All right! We're gonna have ourselves a little powwow, huh? Talk about who's in charge. I vote me. Anybody else? Huh? Democracy time, y'all. Show of hands, huh? All in favour? Huh? Come on. Let's see 'em. Oh, come on. All in favour?" They all put their hands up. "Yeah. That's good. Now that means I'm the boss, right? Yeah. Anybody else? Hmm? Anybody?"

"Yeah." Scarlett replied, finally having enough of his bullshit and running into Merle, pushing him back. Merle swung for her but she dodged it, swinging back with a powerful right hook. This wasn't the first time she'd had to defend herself.

"Yeah now that's what I'm talking about. Little girl got balls here." He was laughing again, almost as if it was one of their spars from when they were younger. His wicked smirk plastered all over his face as he watched her anger building.

"Shut the fuck up." He caught her in the side with a damaging blow but she brushed it off, pushing forward and kicking him in the shin, then the face as he bent down a little. Merle reached for his gun but she held her crossbow up to him. "Don't even think about it." She glared down at him.

"And here was me thinking we were getting along back in the day. I guess now the world's gone to shit the past don't matter." Merle gave a mocking smile. "Always thought you were better didn't you."

"I put up with you for the sake of your brother and yes, I am better than you. So is he. You pull a stunt like that; any toleration for you that I had is gone. You're acting like you're still in those woods man. Look around, the world's changed. Time you started realising it. Things are different now. There are no niggers anymore. No dumb-as-shit, inbred white-trash fools either. Only dark meat and white meat. There's us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart." She spat at him, the pain finally hitting her from Merle's punches. She began to walk away from him when his gruff voice cut through.

"If I'm a dumb-as-shit inbred then what's ma brother huh? What does that make you? Always wondered what he saw in you, guess it was this hero 'I'm better than all of you' complex you got going on here. You're wrong you know, you ain't no better than us, wasn't too long ago you was hanging with us dumb-as-shit inbred's. He's never been the man I wanted him to be, real pussy if you ask me. Not tough enough then, certainly ain't enough now. Perhaps he shoulda gone with you, you're more of a man than little Daryl ever was." She saw red at that as he began to talk shit about his brother, knowing it would cause a rise from her, he always knew how to push her and he was certainly giving it his best now. He got his wish as she turned and punched him square in the face, not caring about the stares they were earning from the rest of the group.

"Just shut the fuck up." She replied, walking away as Rick stepped in and handcuffed Merle to the drainpipe in order to stop any more violence. She ignored the looks the others were giving her, they did nothing to stop Merle, they didn't even try.

Rick searched him as he sat slumped against the pipe and found a small bag of powder before throwing it away. She couldn't help the sigh that escaped at the sight of that._ Shit, Merle, trust you to be drugged up at the end of the world. No wonder you're out of control. You never learn do you? _She wondered if Daryl knew, he always wanted Merle to get clean but he never listened to either of them. Merle made it perfectly clear it was his business alone.

While Rick continued to talk to Merle, Scarlett tried to clear her head. It had been so long since Merle was in her head and, while she hated how he could do that, she kind of liked the feeling of familiarity. She had been a completely different person before the dead began to rise yet she found herself slipping back to the girl in the woods, a light crossbow between her fingers. Before she knew it his face filled her mind, calming her instantly; she wanted to see him again, if his brother was here then Daryl couldn't be far behind. He wouldn't have left him, even when she gave him a chance to live a proper life he still chose his brother.

"How's that signal?" Morales asked as T-Dog tried the radio for the umpteenth time.

"Like Dixon's brain… weak." She couldn't contain the laugh that built up at that; though she had only known him for a short time, she had grown very fond of T-Dog.

Scarlett looked out onto the street; they were trapped, they all knew it. There was the walking dead littering the ground below, extinguishing any hope they had of escaping from the building. She let out a sigh, wondering how she had gotten herself into this. She had been fine surviving out on her own, even after she had faced the worst of it but now she was stuck in the riddled city with a bunch of people who would be mostly useless if combat should ensue and Merle bloody Dixon. _How can my day get any better_, she sarcastically thought to herself.

For a moment Rick came up with an idea that could save them, the sewers, travelling under the city instead of through it. But that was shortly lived when Glenn discovered a metal grate blocking their path, they would need more tools than they had to get through it.

While Glenn and Morales searched the tunnels, Andrea, Rick and Scarlett kept watch on the shop floor. Scarlett chose to follow, not wanting to be around Merle any longer. There was a time when they could tolerate each other, even possibly get along sometimes, but that time was gone. It ended long before the dead began to rise.

"Would it be considered looting?" Scarlett heard, taking her attention away from the window where the dead had begun to gather, desperate for the delights that lay inside the glass. Andrea had her attention fixed on a necklace, wanting to take it for her sister but morals getting in the way. Scarlett rolled her eyes, unwilling to believe how someone could still think of the world as it used to be.

"I don't think those rules apply anymore. Do you?" Rick replied as she picked up the necklace, disregarding her moral reasoning. "How's it looking?" Rick's voice grew louder as he moved to stand beside her.

"They're covering the front, a few have picked up rocks, they're getting closer." Without reply he nodded, turning and walking away from her. Seconds later she felt a presence behind her as Andrea approached; Scarlett could sense the tension in the air, the anticipation as Andrea debated on speaking. Since the incident when the first met, neither of the women had said even a word to each other.

"So, what, are you and Merle friends?" The words finally came earning a snigger from Scarlett, taking Andrea aback a little.

"I wouldn't go that far. I knew him, a long time ago." She couldn't, no wouldn't, say any more. Andrea nodded, trying to make sense of the situation.

"I don't see that, you don't look like someone Merle would hang with."

"Like I said it was a long time ago. People change, people move on." As she spoke the words she found her mind wandering to her life just before the shit happened; her school, her house, her son... It wasn't perfect but she was happy, the happiest she had been. _Except when you were with him. _A small voice in the back of her mind spoke to her.

Andrea was about to say something when the glass on the front door broke under the stress and the walkers piled into the space between the street and the second set of doors that held them from entering the shop. She raised her crossbow, ready to shoot if necessary as others moved to stand beside her.

"We need to find a way out. Soon." Scarlett spoke up, her eyes unmoving from the herd that was separated by glass only a few inches thick. They all knew it, there was nowhere near enough ammunition to kill all the walkers.


End file.
